Greg Brenner

University of Miami

What I do: As the Associate Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development within Human Resources I sit on the HR Leadership Team reporting to the CHRO/VP of Human Resources for the University of Miami. In addition to that team, I sit on the Executive HR Leadership team for UHealth & the Miller School of Medicine (the only academic medical center in the region) reporting the CHRO/VP of HR.  

I have the honor to lead the Talent & Organizational Development team as we get to partner with leadership and staff across "the U" and our academic healthcare system to conduct strategic planning sessions, design and run employee experiences such as I am the U and We Care which is our first-day orientation programs, executive coaching, team-building and intervention facilitation, change management/leadership, organizational design, conflict resolution, along with leadership and staff development programs. My team and I also administer our talent management and engagement program.

I have a wonderful and dedicated team who make this work come alive, every day at the highest levels. They truly make a difference and do their part together to transform lives at the U!

Associate Vice President Human Resources - Talent & Organizational Development 

As the Assistant Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development within HR I sit on the HR Leadership Team reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources. 

This wonderful group of people I am lucky to lead is fortunate to partner with leadership across "the U" and our academic healthcare system to conduct strategic planning sessions, design and run employee experiences such as I am the U which is our first-day orientation program, executive coaching, team-building and intervention facilitation, change management and leadership, organizational design, conflict resolution, along with leadership and staff development programs. We also administer our engagement survey among other duties as assigned.

I am so lucky to have a very dedicated team who make this work come alive, every day at the highest levels, they make a difference and do their part together and transform lives at the U!

Assistant Vice President,                            Human Resources - Talent and Org. Development

Talent and Organizational Development (TOD) serves the University community on all things cultural, setting the stage and enabling leaders to create the right work environment in making the University a great place to work, learn, and grow. A part of engagement is talent management, which is creating structure around succession planning and career paths in addition to  interpreting employee surveys that can bring about positive change. Another large part of TOD is diversity and inclusion. Understanding that diversity of thought and backgrounds is what makes UM s special place to be is in the fabric of this organization. 

Organizational Development (OD) also serves the entire University community, largely working with leaders and their teams from strategic planning, team building, change management, team interventions, and one-on-one executive coaching. OD gets to the heart of issues and helps teams work through their differences in a proactive and professional manner. Confidentiality and trust, when working with leaders, is the staple of OD.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by truly talented professionals who are the fuel to the success of Talent and Organizational Development. These same people find their passion in training, development, and diversity with the only focus being on how to help others succeed and grow.

Executive Director of Talent & Organizational Development - Human Resources

Organizational Development is part of Workforce Engagement and Development at the University of Miami. OD at the University assists leaders, faculty and staff through change initiatives, strategic planning, and coaching. The OD team is committed to being an internal consultant and strategic partner.

Director of Organizational Development - Human Resources

Today's organizations operate in a rapidly changing environment. Consequently, the long term viability of any organization is its ability to effectively manage these changes, and the impact of these changes on its most important asset…its people. Organizational Development (OD) strategies assist leadership in building team strengths that improves and sustains organizational performance and efficiency.

Organizational Development Specialist - Human Resources

Everyday People by The HR Dad

Everyday People Podcast - By The HR Dad is about Everyday People and their Real Stories! Listen to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information thehrdad.com.

Extraordinary things happen all around us, all the time, with everyday people just like you and me. We are all Smack Dab in the Middle of Life and this is where the magic happens. Behind every individual, there is a great big story. My podcast is dedicated to telling your big story.

Podcaster - Everyday People Podcast - By The HR Dad

The HR Dad

You know how people struggle with their personal lives at the intersection of navigating their professional career? We all know people who have this struggle. If this is you, you must know you are never alone. 

Many times people feel fractured, invisible and undervalued at home and or at work. I use the power of storytelling, humor, and authenticity to help people grow and believe. From my experience as a Dad, and as an HR leader, I give practical advice to begin to fill up the fractured cup of fulfillment. 

I love to write, think, speak and coach about the lessons learned from home and work. Leaders matter, people matter and you certainly matter!

Applebee's / Applesauce Inc.

As Regional HR Manager, I was responsible for the HR functions of an area of over 900 employees. I reported directly to the COO and VP of HR, and had a close working relationship with the Director of Operations for our area in South Florida.

My responsibilities included handling sensitive information investigations, recruiting, leadership and  compliance training.

Regional HR Manager

Gables Restaurant Management

I was the operating partner in this business venture.  I ran the day to day operations that included financials, hiring, training, marketing, quality assurance, and team building.

President

Applebee's

As the Training General Manager, I was responsible for the day to day operations of this business while managing a staff of over 60 employees. In this role, I was also charged with the training of new managers.

Training General Manager

Recognized as one of the 2021 TOP 50 Most Impactful People of LinkedIn by Ahmad Iman. I am also known as The HR Dad and a thought leader whose mission is to Serve & Inspire Others So That People can Grow. I am a good kind of obsessed with building great work environments so that people can succeed in all facets of their life.   

I am the author of the Smack Dab in the Middle of Life series. My passions are with all things people. In collaboration with my incredible wife, I have two wonderful kids, a nineteen-year-old son and a sixteen-year-old daughter who make me distinctly qualified to be the Dad. 

At work, I support a wonderful team who has taught me to learn, inspire and grow as the Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Talent and Organizational Development at the fantastic University of Miami and Health System – UHealth. 

I cherish the time to write about HR, leadership, daily life. Thanks to my team, colleagues, network, and family, I always have plenty of material. Writer’s block is never a problem. Some say I can be very funny, sometimes serious but always authentic. 

👀 Specialties: 
Executive coaching • organizational development • listening • strategic planning/thinking • fun • the employee experience • culture transformation • human resources • recruiting • hiring • compensation negotiations • employee relations • conflict resolution & interventions • operations • leadership training and team building.🌞

🌟Transforming businesses through customer-centric processes and AI🌟 Organizational Psychology Scholar, Ph.D.| Connector |Board of Director |Human Rights And DEI advocate|Keynote Speaker| Author | Influencer of the Year

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞-𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭 (Ph.D.), 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 Belt 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬. 

With a PhD and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification under my belt, I bring a unique blend of academic research expertise and knowledge and practical operational experience to the table.

My journey in the world of design started with a love for strategy, creativity and problem-solving. 

Over the years, I have honed my skills in facilitating re-imagine business strategy, and process workshops, product research and marketing focus groups and guiding organizations with recommendations, and leading the ideation process to deliver on high value and Impactful results. 

As a 𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫, I have had the opportunity to share my insights on Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, and Business Transformation at various conferences and events. 

I am a published 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫, with two books to my name.
1. Happy In Your Skin Is Rafa Different 
2. I Love Curry, and I’m Not Sorry

But my passion for driving change and making a positive impact doesn't just stop at the professional level. I am a Leadership Iowa 2024 participant, where I am actively working towards making a difference in my community and beyond.

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧-𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭! 

I am always on the lookout for new opportunities to collaborate and learn from others.





Dr. Erlin K.

This week I had one of those moments where my worlds beautifully interlaced  and it reminded me why service matters.

At the Outreach Strategy Committee meeting, where we brought together a small group of Board members, Red Cross Chapter leadership, volunteers, and community partners at a space designed for collaboration made the conversations even more meaningful.

I am grateful for Principal for being the location host to allow community collaboration with Non profits and for Employees to make a difference in our communities. 

We welcomed Jamie Bachman to the Board of Directors 

We spent the afternoon aligning on how we can elevate the image of excellence across our metro and region for the Red Cross Chapter 

We discussed our shared vision, the goals that matter most, what’s working, where our blind spots are, and how we can empower Board members as ambassadors for greater local influence.  

What I loved most was seeing strategy and service come together, 

The operational discipline from my professional world merging with the heart of volunteerism. 

When those two spaces meet, the impact becomes bigger, clearer, and more purpose-driven.

Because when our community hears “Red Cross,” we know they immediately think of trust, readiness, compassion, and excellence.

I’m grateful to play a small part in learning and working with this group in shaping that future of service, compassion, and excellence 

And even more grateful for the people who show up with dedication, ideas, and heart.

When my worlds interlace, life is even more amazing. ❤️

Thanks to the amazing Chapter Leaders and Board members who helped make this meeting meaningful and engaging. 

Leslie Schaffer 
Josh Murray 
Emily Holley, MPA 
Umakant Narkhede, CPCU 
Jamie Bachman 
Sid Ramsey
Dr. Erlin K.  


Location Host Principal Financial Group  West Des Moines office for the Principal Financial Network of Central Iowa  

#DSM #Iowa
#RedCrossVolunteer
#Erlinkakkanad 
#PrincipalFinancialGroup
American Red Cross Serving Iowa 
American Red Cross 

🔥 #CommunityImpact
📈 #StrategyInAction
❤️ #ServiceAboveSelf

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Feeling incredibly proud to serve as Chair for the Heroes of the Heartland event for the second year in a row. ❤️

Our communities are filled with everyday people who step forward in extraordinary ways—neighbors who help without hesitation, first responders who run toward danger, and volunteers who show up when the world feels heavy. These are the stories that remind us what humanity looks like in action.

Check out our Regional Communications Manager Emily Holley on We Are Iowa Local 5 News, sharing the heart behind the Heroes of the Heartland recognition event and how YOU can nominate someone making a difference.

Here’s to the amazing leadership in communication and chapter leadership 
Emily Holley, MPA, Josh Murray and Leslie Schaffer 

Board Chair Casey Maughan 
Outreach committee Chair Sid Ramsey
Dr. Erlin K. Heroes Chair and Chapter Philanthropy Committee Chair
Liz Karim, CNP Regional Philanthropy Officer 

 
🔗 full Interview: https://lnkd.in/gKNvKmZ5 
Local 5 News We Are Iowa (WOI-DT) 
 
✨ Call to Action
If you know someone whose courage, compassion, or service has changed a life—nominate them.
If you’ve ever thought about getting involved—now is the moment.
If your heart is telling you to give back—listen and take one small step.

Your time, your voice, your kindness… it matters more than you know. 💫
Let’s lift up the heroes among us and inspire the next generation of service.
American Red Cross 
#BoardOfDirectors
#DSM
#iowa 
#HeroesOfTheHeartland 
#Linkedin
#IowaVolunteers #RedCrossStrong
#ErlinKakkanad

Open article: Recognize heroes of the heartland by who13.com

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Greg Brenner

Dr. Erlin K.

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The Battle

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Dr. Erlin K.

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Engagements

Likes

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